FINDING MY FAMILY’S VW TREKKER – HTK 275 P LIVES!

The time is autumn of 1981, and the place is a village near Southampton where very little seemed to happen. Instead, the local newspaper’s front page tended to carry stories along the lines of “New Bus Stop Erected in Hunts Pond Road,” “Two Packets of Spangles Stolen from Post Office,” or “Buddy Holly: Still Dead.” But this day was auspicious as my family was about to buy a new car in preparation for our imminent move to the Mediterranean.

To say I was amazed by my first sight of HTK 275 P at an A27 used car dealership would be an understatement. This was the best news of the season since the first edition of Willo The Wisp on BBC1. What eleven-year-old motoring fanatic would not thrill to a four-door convertible with a folding windscreen and an uncompromisingly functional appearance?

By way of background, VW introduced the 181 in 1969, with sales initially limited to military authorities. Power was from the Beetle’s 1,584cc engine, driving the rear wheels, with the Karmann Ghia Type 1’s floorpan and back swing axle suspension from the recently discontinued split-screen Type 2. Volkswagen went on to build the RHD 182, and their UK concessionaire took delivery of a batch of 300 in 1974.

US market 181s used ‘The Thing’ identity to appeal to a post-hippy market, but this did not appeal to VW (GB) Ltd. So, they held a competition to suggest a name for the 182, with a Mr. Nigel Purden of the Midlands providing the winning suggestion of ‘Trekker’. However, one problem still facing dealers was the comparatively high price of £1,996 - or £2,116 if you specified the optional limited-slip differential. To put these amounts in context, a three-door Golf 1100 was just £1,389.

British 182 sales ended in 1975, although 181 production continued for another six years. Our beige Trekker hailed from Bournemouth and was one of just 71 examples that found a home in the UK. Before our departure to warmer climes, we had installed an elaborate roll cage and rear seat belts. In addition, a Southampton garage near the Southern Television studios fitted extra plastic windows in the hood, as rear visibility was very restricted when the roof was in place.

Autumn motoring in Hampshire proved to have few hardships, and cabin warmth was not a problem, as the heater vents below the back seats produced ankle-burning jets of hot air. An additional bonus was the Trekker’s appearance seemed to cause quite a sensation among a sea of brown Vauxhall Chevettes and Chrysler Avengers at the Bursledon Tesco car park.

But it was after we emigrated that HTK indeed came into its own. It was not just that the Trekker coped splendidly with the local roads, but it also seemed the ideal car for the climate and terrain. The perforated rubber mats on the floor were easy to clean, and we could detach the side screens for extra ventilation. There was also the fact that the Volkswagen was more practical than the Mini Moke, with greater side protection.

One especially vivid memory is how in the afternoons when most sensible people were taking a siesta, we found the most comfortable way to travel by 182 was with the roof up and completely open sides. It was even possible to temporarily remove the four doors to make loading the VW with luggage easier. However, it was a good idea to remember to replace them before setting off.

By the mid-1980s, my family had returned to the UK, and a Subaru 1800 GLF replaced the Trekker. Yet, I never forgot HTK, and a few weeks ago, thanks to the wonders of social media, I discovered it was alive and well, and in the custody of the VW aficionado Steve Emberson. Unfortunately, when he came by the Trekker on the 11th of May 2009, it was not in the best of conditions, having languished in a garage with a caved-in roof. The bonnet was dented, the roof frame was not at its best, the hood was ripped, and the bodywork condition appeared to be ‘Early Period Albert Steptoe’.

Fortunately, Steve – as with all true air-cooled VW enthusiasts - was not one to turn down a challenge. The fact that HTK was an extremely rare example of an RHD Trekker proved a deciding factor in his becoming the 182’s latest owner, and at least a working engine allowed him to drive it on the trailer. The restoration work commenced in earnest, with Mr. Emberson ordering spare parts from the USA and discovering the front wings and rear floorpan were utterly corroded. There was also a bird’s nest behind the fascia, and as Steve puts it:

“I stripped it down, cut out all the rust, and replaced the metal with new steel. I also took out the roll-cage, rebuilt the engine, which is now a 1,760cc with twin carbs and had a new mohair soft top fitted. The Trekker was white when I bought it, but I resprayed it in Honda Galaxy Grey in my garage at home. In fact, apart from the hood, it was all restored at my house - a great project.”

The result of Steve’s painstaking work inevitably looks different to my memories of over forty years ago; the new paint finish gives the 182 a menacing, even slightly ‘Cold War’, appearance. But the VW still possesses almost all the details I can so vividly remember, down to the bar connecting the windscreen wipers and the ribbed bodywork.

In the new year, I hope to see the Trekker in the metal – a reunion after nearly four decades. Seeing the pictures of Steven’s painstaking work reminds me of just why HTK appealed so much to my younger self. And there is even a rumour it featured in the village press circa November 1981 – “Local Family Buys Unconventional Car: Wicker Effigy Prepared Outside of The Wavy Line Supermarket.”

WITH THANKS TO – STEVE EMBERSON